Brake-step.



A. E. OSTRANDER.

BRAKE STEP.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.12,1913.

Patented May 26, ANA.

MLEN EDWARD OSTRANDER, 0F RXDGEWOOD, 'NEW' JERSEY.

- BRAKE-STEP.

To all whom t may eoiirern.

Beit known that l, ALLI-:N E. Os'riiAxonn,

' residing at' Ridgewood, Bergen county.y New Jersey, and beinga oitizen of the United i States, have invented Certain new and nsetut Iinproveinents in Brake-Steps, of which the following' is :i full, clear, and exae't dei seription, such Yas ywillenalile others skilled l in the art to which it :ippertains to nialte i, zind to use the saine, reference heinz; had

` to the accompanying drawings, wliig-,hf` illustrateI the preferred torni ot thetfiirvention, t .Y l n rsaid end binding strips, tne end rhonibic though it isr to be understood thtfthe invention is not limited to the exaet details ot' eonstruetion shown and described, as it i is obvious thatvarioiis modifications thereof will ore-nr to persons sliilled in the art.

ln said drawings lFigure l is a plan view of the brake step, shown as attaehedto the end sheet ot' asteel car;

brake step beinlgr broken awa)Y to more Clearly show the brake inast pawl plate.

applied.` Fig'. i

Fig. t is a.\'ei'tieal section through one ot' the .side binding strips laken on the line 4--4 ot- F'i'g. i2; and Figi 5 is a vertical section through one ot' the end bindingr strips taken on the line ot' Fig. l.

This invention relates to brake steps sueh tively low manufacturing oost.

'.llie step is designed so that itniay he applied advantageously in aeeorilanee with `the looation oi the brake mast, whit-h is not always in the saine position on different ears, said step being reversible in more than one direction.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 12, 19H3. Serial No. 800,603.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe saine, a portion of the horizontal Hannes permitting the insert-ion vis .an end elevation o t` the i brake*v step attached to the ear end sheet. t

Patented May 26, 1914.

liraiceoian may be treed from eased show, clinging; thereto`v by the upper ridges of the expanded metal, greatly increasing his safety,

In the drawings, the usual brake step brackets A, riveted 0r otherwise secured t0 the end sheet B of a ear body, forni .the supportin means for the brake step. The ends of ne expended xnetal tread 1 rest upon the tops of brackets A and are clamped between thein and tlierend binding strips 2 by means of rivets 3 which pass through interstiees ot' the tread at the vertices et' tliekoiiter aeiitfe angles. and the brake step braekets. ri`lie sides ot' the tread l are bound within the side binding strips i of sheet nietal. the latter being lient to 'torni a relatively T-shaped Cross section, the internal siirl'aees ot' said side binding strips being spaced apart. and the space. between the ot the sides of thi` ,xpanded metal tread. 'lhronlgh the top horizontal Hangers of the side binding' strips i. the enter rhonibic iliterstires ot' the tread l at the vertices of the outer obtuse angles of the saine, and thi?l bottoni or lower horizontal fla uges of said side binding stripsf pass rivets 5, locking andv elaniping the sides olt thel tre-iid l within the side binding strips l, and stitfening it against tleii'iire. At. their ends, `the side binding"r strips are shown. :is indented orV eoinpiessed to adjust rhein to the upper hearing surfaees of the brake step brackets A Aemployed to support said brake step. Figs. 2 and bestl dist-,lose this tea-ture. The

upper hearing` surfaces of the brake step liiaekets are shown in 3 as being bent into inore than oneplane, in order to follow the uneven snrt'iiee presented by' the underside, of the bottoni horizontal flanges of the side binding strips end the bottom .of the tread t.. The end lappinir portions .of Athe end binding and side binding strips, 2 and t, respective, are secured together by riiets t3, and form a strong and rigid frame for supporting `the expanded metal .tread l, restraining itl against suoli. stresses as may be set up therein when it is sustaining l person.

Brake masts being clierenaly situated on various eers, ity becomes .necessary to so a ply the hriilie step in :my .ciise that. it Wi .not be interfered with, as, Say, by an 6nd Stake,

ladder rounds, etc. Hence, the brake step is designed to be turned when desired to cause that portion of its length whichprojects a greater distance from the brake mast to eX- tend away from the obstruction. Again, certain brake masts are somewhat farther removed from the car end than others, re-V quiring a corresponding chan in the transverse location of the opening in the 'uralte step for the brake mast. At a point that is situated on neither the longitudinal nor transverse median line of the brake step, the lattice work of the tread l is cut away, as at 7, for the passage of the brake mast C, which carries the usua brake ratchet wheel D. Because of its location in the tread l the opening for the brake mast, shown at 7, may occupy the position illustrated in the drawings, or, upon turning said brake step upside down, the revolution @being made in the direction of its len th, it will be at. the right hand end of sai step.

it is possible to keep a lar e stock of the brake steps on hand, to be rawn from for various cars as occasion demands. It is preferable thatthe brake mast pawl plate 8 be not attached to the tread 1 until the brake step is applied to the car when it may be positioned as will 'be required lfor the particular car to be equipped.

The bralfe mast pawl plate is provided on its undersidefwith circular bosses 9, shown in Figs. l and A2, of substantially the same altitude as the thickness of the-expanded metal tread l, and they are spaced apart so to reside in certain ot the interstices of said tread. Through the brake mast pawl plate 8 and its bosses 9`pass rivets l0, which continue` through tie plate 11, beneath the tread l, whereby the brake mast pawl plate securely clamped to the tread.

The brake mast pawl plate is provided with an integral` stud'lQ, which carries a brake pawl lil lor engaging the brake ratchet i, wheel'l) in theusual manner, t-he latter being maintained in place by the horizontal flange of a semifcircular brake ratchet wheel retaining wall 14. It will be observed that the brake ratchet wheel cannot be dislod ed except after tl s brake mast ihas beenwuthdrawn, and tliax the hole in the tieplate 1l serves as a `guide for the brake' mast C -whieh passes through it.

. The brakestep as a whole isV inexpensive,

mast at a poin strongly constructed, adapted to meet varyin conditions, and because of its adaptabllity to almost any car in service, may be carried in stock inV large quantities. As pointed out hereinbefore, it sheds the rain and snow, dislod es dangerous, snow cakes from the feet- Io those using it, and its grated surface is adapted to give an unusually good foothold. Through its brake mastI pawl plate and its tie plate the brake step guides and steadies the brake mast insuring proper relationshi of the brake pawl and brake ratchet w eel at all times, and in this the bosses on the underside of the brake mast pawl plate assist.

What I claim is l. In a reversible` brake step for cars, a frame comprising sheet metal side binding strips having upwardly and downwardly extending vertical flanges, metal strip end binding strips, brackets co-acting therewith, an expanded metal tread outlined by said frame, and having 'its mesh interrupted for the pass-ave of a brake mast, and means for securing tie. parts together.

2. In a reversible brake step for cars, an expanded metal treada frame comprising sheet metal edge binding strips flanged to extend perpendicularly above and belowV said tread, brackets co-acting therewith, said frame outlinin and embracing said expanded metal tread and the mesh' of said tread being cut away for the passage of a brake mast.

3. In a reversible brake ste for cars, an`

expanded metal tread the mes of which is cut away to accommodate a brake mast, an inclosing frame comprising sheet metal side binding strips pressed to form a T-shaped cross section, symmetrically disposed above and below said tread, substantially straight metal strap bindin ends, and supporting brackets co-actin t erewith. l

4. In a reversi le bra-ke step for cars, an expanded `metal tread cut away to accommodate a brake mast at a oint that is away from the longitudinal andJ transverse median lines of the brake step, whereby varying dispositions of the mast of the step may be made when the step is reversed and a tread inclosing frame comprising :petal binding strips pressed to extendmaferially above and below said tread. y

5. In a reversible brake step for cars, an expanded metatread cut away for a brake located on Yneither the longitudinal nor transverse median` line of said step, a 'brake .mast pawl' platejhaving depending' "bosses adapted Ato bel sitioned within certain of the interstices o the tread, a tio plato riveted thereto', lm d a frame in closing said tread, said frame comprising pressed metal binding strips of substantially a horizontally disposed T-shaped cross section.l

' expanded metal tread eut awa 1 at a point` ti. a reversible brake step for ears, an

located at one side of the longitudinal and transverse median lines of the tread, pressed sheet metal side binding .strips having a cross section 'shaped substantially like a horizontally disposed hollow T symmetrically disposed above and below the tread, snpporting brackets, a brake mast pawl plate with depending bosses adapted to occupyl certain interstices of the tread, and a tie plate riveted thereto to lock the saine in position on the tread. p

7. In a reversible brake step for ears,` an expanded metal tread, the-mesh of which is interrupted at a predetermined location to accommodate a brake mast to be projected through said interrupted tread portion, said interrupted portion being located at one side of the longitudinal and transverse median lines of the tread, whereby the location of the brake and means for supporting said tri-fad.

8, In a Abrake step for cars, an expanded metal tread the mesh of which is interrupted at a predetermined loeation'to accommodate a brake mast to be projected through said interrupted tre-ad portion, said interrupted portion being located at one side off/the longitudinal and transverse median lines of the tread whereby the step is made reversible for the purpose set forth, in combination with sheet metal side binding strips of T- sheped cross-section, strip metal end binding strips lapping said side binding strips and being connected together at each point mast opening is made changeable,

at a. given location to accommodate a brake mast to be proieeted through said interrupted tread portion, said interrupted portion being located at one side of the longitudinal and transverse median lines of said tread, a brake mast pawl plate eomprisin depending bosses adaptedfto be posit-ione within certain nterstices of the tread, an integral stud for a brake pawl, -and a tlanged semi-circular'integral wall for normally retaining a brake ratchet Wheel in place. v

l0. In a brake step for cars, an expanded metal tread the mesh of which is interrupted at a given location to' accommodate a brake mast, a brake mast paWl `plate having a brake mast opening therein, said pawl plate comprising depending bosses adapted to be positioned within certain interstiees of said tread, an integral brake pawl supporting stud, and an integral flanged semi-circular ratchet wheel retaining wall, and a tie plate, with'a guiding opening for the brake mast, secured to said pawl plate, said tread being interposed between said pawl plate and said tie plate.

In .witness whereof I have hereuntoset my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

, ALLEN EDWARD OSTRANDER. lVitnesses '13. VANDEI; BENGLE,

S. lV. TUirrLn. 

